Thursday, October 30, 2008

Well as it turns out, being a mom is not all fairy dust and happy happy joy joy, I think I've started taking some things for granted or I am officially living in the real world, I know that I have written a very long grammatically incorrect sentence, but anyways here is a list of some of the things I thought would be really sweet and fun about being a mom but have since discovered that in reality these things are sort of a drag and in fact are quite tedious so without further adeiu I give you the list:

1. making lunches to send to school (fun for about 3 days)

2. lazy Sunday mornings (haven't had one yet)

3. cuddling in mama's bed (if getting a knee to the face and protecting a small body from flying through a glass window is fun then this is fun)

4. going shopping (fun until she became mobile)

5. teaching independant living skills (i seriously lack patience for this transitional time, but it is still awesome to see her so proud of herself)

on the other hand some unexpected treasures of life with a child:

1. talking talking talking together, it's so fun to be able to have conversations

2. cooking together (we don't do it often but it's pretty fun when we do)

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Dear Lucy,I can't believe it's been three years since that wonderful, intense, overwhelming, heart numbing day when Tswai pushed back the mosquito netting over your bassinette and I picked you up for the first time.

I'll never forget that moment, I felt like I breathed for the first time and that I was staring at you through a tunnel, no one else existed.

It was odd really watching the videos of that moment, many many months later, listening to all of those babies crying and seeing all of the people who were in that room. I didn't remember any of that.

I remember that it was fasinating and deep to me that you were wearing a sleeper with a pink elephant on it (the same sleeper you already had at home BECAUSE of the pink elephant).

You were sleeping when I picked you up and for a moment you opened your eyes and looked at me and then fell back asleep.

It's been an amazing three years Lucille. You are a dream come true and you amaze me every single day.

Monday, October 20, 2008

last night was very diverse in the number and kinds of sleep interruptions. Once I finally settled down for a very exhausted slumber the coughing started from Lucy's room. I tried to ignore it as my body started melting into the bed all snuggled under my heavy winter quilt, but it came again and again as persistently as a dripping faucet. I knew I had to get up and give her the nebulizar but my body was fighting it for every ounce of it's exhausted worth. Finally, freezing I flipped down the covers and set up the machine. Thankfully Lucy can sort of sleep through getting picked up, nebulized and put back down. Fifteen minutes later I was nestling back down under my cold covers. At 5 in the morning I heard crying from her room .. normally this wouldn't get me too anxious because I could address the problem (nightmare) and she'd go back to bed but at 5 am, her body has NEVER let her go back to sleep and I was not excited about parenting the kid who got up at 5 am in the post work hours. I soothed her and told her to go back to bed, at 6 am she called me back to her room and I more emphatically told her she MUST go back to bed ... I went to my room certain that I was screwed but of all miracles she actually fell back asleep! She slept until 8:20, just as I was passing info to my mom to have Lucy call me the minute she woke up so I could tell her how proud I was of her for going back to sleep. It was perfect, we had a moment to snuggle before I raced off to work.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

This weekend we had visitors. The amazing D and her three beautiful boys came to play. Lucy was very anxious and excited to see Wendim Irmao and Og. She was asleep before they arrived Friday night but made up for it by waking bright and early on Saturday. We were able to visit, meet a couple families at the EKC event (although it was smaller then normal) and go to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. I am thinkng that Lucy might have lost a few girlfriend points this weekend as she wasn't overly friendly with W a lot of the time and sometimes she was quite irritable (or was that me?). We will have to make up for it when we visit them at their place sometime before the dead of winter. Irmao was as nice as always except that he was as competitive with baby holding as I am although I am not as easy to distract (hey Irmao give me the baby and you can play on the computer). Baby Og was lovely and squish and still newborn enough that I had my fix of baby holding with no sore arms. Mama D was an excellent baby sharer.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

A conversation from the other night: *note: Auntie Jen is really my cousin, but since I am an only child and not married Lucy is low on the REAL auntie department and since cousin Jen is also an only child and unmarried she is currently low on actual nieces ... and auntie Jen lives in our house (in our newly remodeled basement, more on the room changes later) and auntie Jen will be turning 30 in short order.

Auntie Jen: Lucy hurry up and get your shoes on so we can go to TargetMama: Yeah Lucy auntie Jen and I are all ready to goLucy: (whining and kicking her feet) no mama, you can't go, no grownups to target just me and Jen ...

alllllll righttty then!

on same shopping trip ... in car with auntie jens new white plastic clothes hamper beside her

Lucy: whininggggggggggMama: Lucy what is wrong? (not at all irritated)Lucy: I am having a little trouble back here.Mama: trouble with what?Lucy: the hamper is scary meMama: the hamper is scary?Lucy: it's peeking at meMama: (trying not to laugh ... must not ridicule child) it's ok Lucy we're almost home

*the hamper, feathers, shelf shadows (but if you drape a blanket over the shelf it's ok) and slippers on her bedroom floor are the only things that regularly scare Lucy

Lucy: mama Nathan had a bad dream this night. Mama: oh that's sadLucy: and i went right up to his room really fast and I picked him up and carried him and he felt safe and healthy

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

We had quite the productive evening. Lucy had a great day at daycare (it was good to hear). We did an activity with shaving cream and then Lucy cleaned up after, she did a very very thorough job of cleaning (I was impressed and didn't have to do any follow up). We then went outside and raked and bagged leaves, Lucy spied on the neighbors through the fence. Chores were followed by spagetti dinner and a target run. Hard to believe all of that happened in 3 1/2 hours.

Monday, October 13, 2008

To the rest of you: we survived Monday. Lucy of course had a blast because Mondays are the days she stays home and gets full-service grandparents followed by hanging out with "the boys" while momma babysits.

Now to get through the rest of the week as we prepare for the arrival of baby Og and his mom and brothers.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Despite the grim forecast we headed back to Emma Krumbee's this morning. It was cloudy and warm but nary a drop of rain hit our appley heads! The kids had a lot of fun climbing up the hay stack and sliding down (seriously I'd come here for the hay stack alone). They also enjoyed the one man band and his kid friendly stage. After Mel and Morgan went home Lucy and I did more yard work. We are doing a good job keeping up with the leaves in our back yard. Lucy fell asleep fast at 8pm the girl was all sorts of worn out (and so is her momma).

About Me

I adopted my daughter Lucy from Ethiopia in 2005. I am a single mom. I am also a social worker and a human being. Most days it goes in that order; mom, social worker, human being. Wouldn't want to change the mom thing for the whole world. Please click to link to my old blog for a tour of the Ethiopian adoption process, and the first year or so of Raising Lucy